Western cyclone., 1887-04-21
RAILWAY PLUNDERERS.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE
HUGE CONSPIRACY.
The Leader of the Gang Denies That
There Was an Organized Conspiracy
Excitement Unabated.

PITTsBURG, Pa, April 13.-The wholesale
arrests OF the employees of the Pan Handle
railroad for robbing freight trains continues
to be the principal topic of conversation
among railroad men and citizens generally.
Superintendent Taylor's Office is besieged
from early morning by dozens of men who
are in search of employment. 1t is thought
that the officials of the road are satisfied with
the work of the detectives and that no more
arrests will be made in this city. Speaking
OF the probable conviction of the men now in
jail, Special Agent Rue says that of the
sixty men now under arrest there was not
more than one or possibly two of them who
stood any chance of being shown not guilty.
He said: ave had our evidence so complete
that we didn't make an arrest until we had
sufficient proof to show that the man was
guilty"
Mr.. Hue said the saddest case in connection
with the arrests was that of a man whose
child was dying. When the officers knocked
at the door Of his home on Sunday night he
was sitting with his wife by the bedside of
his sick child. He appeared to be man of
more than ordinary intelligence and his
home had an air of refinement about it.
When the officers told him that they had a
warrant for his arrest he seemed to realize at
once the disgrace into which he had fallen
and he broke down completely.
The capture of j. r. Dunlap, at Dennison,
Ohio, particularly pleased the detectives
He has made a confession, in which he said
that the stealing had been going on for
months. He said he could give the names of
all the men implicated OH the Pittsburg
division of the Panhandle, but was afraid to
do so, his language to the officers being: II
would give you the names, officers, but,
great God! they would kill me-" There was
no organization among the robbers, Dunlap
said, and no regular place of work. Each
crew worked by itself 1t was a common
understanding that every man should
take all he could and dispose of it to the best
advantage
The fences, Dunlap said, were located in
New Philadelphia, Dennison, Stubenville,
Cincinnati, and Pittsburg, and also in Colum.
bus Notwithstanding Dunlap's confession,
the officers of the road still believe that the
plundererS were thoroughly organized and
were carrying on the rObberieS under syste-
matte direction of shrewd leaders When q
new man entered the service of the road, if he
was thought to be the right kind of fellow
he vas initiated into the gang with rigid
oath binding him to secrecy. After he had
been initiated it was easy enough to keep
him in check if he began to feel any pangs
of conscience. 1t was broadly limited to
them that any wrong would result disas-
trously, as railroading furnished first-class
opportunities Of putting men out of the
way. Young men from the country who
were just beginning to run on the road were
the easiest prey. They could soon be per-
suaded that there was nothing wrong about
stealing from the rich railroad companies.
Being unused to the tricks of the old heads.
they were so deep in the tolls that they could
not get Quit If they wanted to.
telegram from Harrisburg, Pa, states
that bill was introduced in the State Legis-
lature yesterday which is intended to cover
such cases as the railroad car robberies
brought to light in this city.